Love Jihad laws: SC to examine constitutional validity

New Delhi, Jan 06: The Supreme Court has agreed to examine petitions challenging the legislations in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh against unlawful conversion. The laws were enacted to prevent inter-faith marriages and consequent conversions by making them a punishable offence.

The petitioners told the court that a similar legislation is on the way in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. It is obnoxious to put the burden of proof on married couples to show that there it is conversion by marriage leading to mobs disrupting inter-faith marriages.

When the petitioners sought a stay on the laws, the Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde said that it would have been ideal if the parties had moved the respective High Courts. The court said that it would hear arguments and decide the issue rather than imposing a stay on the legislations.